1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an error detection method and apparatus. In particular, the invention is directed to a method and apparatus for detecting errors that may occur during a data transmission to an electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In digital electronic systems, information is represented in binary format as “ones” and “zeroes”. When binary information is transmitted from one electronic device to another device, there is a chance that the bits of the binary information may become corrupted. Corruption to the binary information may be caused by electronic noise, poor cable connections, media defects, component failures, as well as other factors. For example, home or office appliances having motors, such as fans, garbage disposals, blenders, and other devices can generate this type of noise, which adversely impacts the reception of an incoming digital signal. When noise or any other corruption affects an incoming digital signal such as a packet, the corrupted packet will typically be dropped and may need to be retransmitted by the source network device. When corruption develops within a digital signal, a bit error has occurred. Error detection is the process of detecting bit errors within a signal.
In digital electronic systems, information is represented in binary format as “ones” and “zeroes” . When binary information is transmitted from one electronic device to another device, there is a chance that the bits of the binary information may become corrupted. Corruption to the binary information may be caused by electronic noise, poor cable connections, media defects, component failures, as well as other factors. For example, home or office appliances having motors, such as fans, garbage disposals, blenders, and other devices can generate this type of noise, which adversely impacts the reception of an incoming digital signal. When noise or any other corruption affects an incoming digital signal such as a packet, the corrupted packet will typically be dropped and may need to be retransmitted by the source network device. When corruption develops within a digital signal, a bit error has occurred. Error detection is the process of detecting bit errors within a signal.
In general at a transmitting device, a parity bit is appended to a block of data for the purpose of identifying whether the bits arrived at the destination device successfully. For example, with a single parity check, before the bits are sent, the “one” bits are counted and if the total of “one” bits is even, the parity bit is set to “one” so that the total number of “one” bits transmitted will form an odd number. If the total number of “one” bits is already an odd number, the parity bit remains or is set to “zero”. At the destination device, each group of incoming bits is checked to determine if the number of “ones” in the group totals to an odd number. If the total is an even number, a transmission error has occurred and the transmission is typically retried.
In recent years, due to the advances in technology, it has become more difficult for some conventional devices to perform such error detection processes. The unprecedented demands for faster operating electronic devices have placed a greater demand on the operating components of current electronic devices. Unfortunately, some slower devices, which interface with the current state-of-the-art electronic devices, cannot operate at the same transfer rate. As a result of the speed mismatch, a timing difference between the interfaces of two such electronic devices may develop. This timing difference between the logic designs of the faster operating devices and the slower devices makes it more difficult for the receiving electrical device to detect whether an error has occurred within an incoming data stream.
Accordingly, new and improved systems and methods for detecting errors, which may occur within a transmission of binary information, are needed.